Pastor de Hermas 92

1“Explica-me, senhor,” disse eu, “os nomes destas virgens e daquelas mulheres que estavam vestidas de trajes negros.” “Ouve,” disse, “os nomes das virgens mais fortes que estavam nos cantos. A primeira é Fé, a segunda Continência, a terceira Poder, a quarta Paciência. E as outras que estão no meio destas têm os seguintes nomes: Simplicidade, Inocência, Pureza, Alegria, Verdade, Entendimento, Harmonia, Amor.

1“Explain to me, sir,” I said, “the names of these virgins, and of those women who were clothed in black raiment.” “Hear,” he said, “the names of the stronger virgins who stood at the corners. The first is Faith, the second Continence, the third Power, the fourth Patience. And the others standing in the midst of these have the following names: Simplicity, Innocence, Purity, Cheerfulness, Truth, Understanding, Harmony, Love.

2Quem leva estes nomes e o do Filho de Deus poderá entrar no reino de Deus. Ouve também,” continuou, “os nomes das mulheres que tinham as vestes negras; e destas quatro são mais fortes que as demais. A primeira é Incredulidade, a segunda Incontinência, a terceira Desobediência, a quarta Engano. E as suas seguidoras chamam-se Tristeza, Maldade, Lascívia, Ira, Mentira, Loucura, Maledicência, Ódio.

2He who bears these names and that of the Son of God will be able to enter into the kingdom of God. Hear, also,” he continued, “the names of the women who had the black garments; and of these four are stronger than the rest. The first is Unbelief, the second Incontinence, the third Disobedience, the fourth Deceit. And their followers are called Sorrow, Wickedness, Wantonness, Anger, Falsehood, Folly, Backbiting, Hatred.

3O servo de Deus que leva estes nomes verá, de fato, o reino de Deus, mas não entrará nele.” “E as pedras, senhor,” disse eu, “que foram tiradas do poço e ajustadas na construção: que são?” “As primeiras,” disse, “as dez, a saber, que foram postas como alicerce, são a primeira geração, e as vinte e cinco a segunda geração, de homens justos; e as trinta e cinco são os profetas de Deus e os seus ministros; e as quarenta são os apóstolos e mestres da pregação do Filho de Deus.” “Por que, então, senhor,” perguntei, “as virgens levaram também estas pedras pela porta e as deram para a construção da torre?” “Porque,” respondeu, “estes foram os primeiros que levaram estes espíritos, e nunca se separaram uns dos outros, nem os espíritos dos homens, nem os homens dos espíritos, mas os espíritos permaneceram com eles até o seu adormecer.

3The servant of God who bears these names shall see, indeed, the kingdom of God, but shall not enter into it.” “And the stones, sir,” I said, “which were taken out of the pit and fitted into the building: what are they?” “The first,” he said, “the ten, viz., that were placed as a foundation, are the first generation, and the twenty-five the second generation, of righteous men; and the thirty-five are the prophets of God and His ministers; and the forty are the apostles and teachers of the preaching of the Son of God.” “Why, then, sir,” I asked, “did the virgins carry these stones also through the gate, and give them for the building of the tower?” “Because,” he answered, “these were the first who bore these spirits, and they never departed from each other, neither the spirits from the men nor the men from the spirits, but the spirits remained with them until their falling asleep.

4E se não tivessem tido estes espíritos consigo, não teriam sido úteis para a construção desta torre.”

4And unless they had had these spirits with them, they would not have been of use for the building of this tower.”